Vacuum packaging of poultry



United States Patent O 3,527,018 VACUUM PACKAGING OF POULTRY Donald E. Jahnke, Milwaukee, Wis., assiguor to Vac-Air,

Inc.,. Menomonee Falls, Wis., a corporation of Wiscousin Filed Oct. 21, 1968, Ser. No. 769,296 Int. Cl. B65b 31/04 U.S. Cl. 53-112 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Vacuum packaging of meats, such as poultry, has generally been done by vacuum litters of the type shown in Pats. Nos. 3,046,713 and 2,866,975. The vacuum lifters are used to evacuate air from an air tight package or pouch and to raise or lift the package automatically from the supporting surface by using the vacuum used to evacuate the package. The vacuum nozzle used to evacuate the package in the vacuum type lifter has been subject to considerable objection due to the blockage of the nozzle by the opening in the portions of the wrapper that tend to be gathered around the nozzle when the package is evacuated. This results in an accumulation of moisture in the vacuum tube between the vacuum valve and the nozzle. The accumulated moisture then flows back through the nozzle after the package has been removed from the nozzle and drips into succeeding packages. An entire packaging line may be shut down Vfor cleaning at any time by the packaging line inspector if the accumulation of moisture in the litters is considered to be unsanitary. Disassembly of the vacuum lifters for cleaning requires a considerable amount of time causing a corresponding loss of time in the operation of the packaging line.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The vacuum packaging apparatus of this invention provides an improved operating cycle for evacuating air from a poultry package with substantially no flow back of moisture to the package. The operating cycle is improved by using a vacuum responsive valve assembly to automatically initiate a lifting motion when a vacuum is drawn in the package. Moisture accumulation is minimized by positioning the vacuum valve within the nozzle so that moisture accumulated in the vacuum tube is prevented from flowing back through the nozzle. This apparatus is also provided with a quick disassembly arrangement to remove the nozzle, handle and vacuum tube from the apparatus for cleaning. Packaging line shut down time has been reduced by using the quick disassembly arrangement, which only requires the removal of a snap lock pin in order to remove the parts to be cleaned. In its preferred form the apparatus of this invention includes the features of a vacuum valve located in close proximity to the nozzle, a vacuum actuated air pressure valve to automatically control the lifting and lowering of the apparatus and a quick disassembly arrangement to remove the parts of the apparatus that must be periodically cleaned.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention 3,527,018 Patented Sept. 8, 1970 ICC will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the vacuum packaging apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a section view of the packaging apparatus in the inoperative position.

FIG. 3 is a section View of the packaging apparatus with the vacuum actuated air valve shown in the open position and the air lift cylinder pressurized.

FIG. 4 is a section view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing the snap lock pin.

FIG. 5 is a section view showing the disassembly of the snap lock assembly from the air lift cylinder.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the key removed from the vacuum tube and air lift cylinder.

FIG. 7 is taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 3 showing the ports in the gasket for the Vac-Air valve assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Although the disclosure hereon is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the are to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other speciiic structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the vacuurn packaging apparatus 10 is shown supported by means of a mounting bracket 12 and a tubular shaft 14 with a vacuum tube 16 coaxially mounted within the shaft 14 and connected to a vacuum pump as indicated in the drawing by a quick disconnect coupling 18. Meat or poultry which is to be packaged is placed in an impervious plastic bag 20 in a production line operation and is transported to a position beneath the packaging apparatus 10. The opening 22 of the package 20 is gathered around a vertically disposed handle 26 co-axially mounted on the vacuum tube 16. The vacuum tube 16 is closed by means of a valve 28 formed by the engagement of a nozzle 24 secured to the handle 26 and the lower end 30 of the vacuum tube 16. The handle 26 is pulled downward relative to the vacuum tube 16 against the bias of a spring 60 to open the valve 28 formed between the nozzle 24 and the end 30 of the vacuum tube 16 to start the evacuation of air from the package 20. As the air is evacuated from the package 20, the package 20 is raised or lifted from the supporting surface by means of an air lift cylinder 32 which is automatically pressurized by a vacuum actuated air pressure control valve assembly 34. The package should be raised to a position suspended beneath the handle 26 so that the package 20 can be twisted and a clamp applied to seal the opening 22 of the package 20.

Means are provided in the nozzle 24 t0 prevent the blockage of the nozzle 24 by the plastic material forming the opening 22 of the package 20. More specilically, the nozzle 24 has a frusto conical lower section 36 and an externally threaded section 38 which is screwed into an internal threaded section 40 in the handle 26. These threaded sections could be reversed if desired with the internal threaded section provided in the nozzle and the external threaded section provided on the handle. Air evacuating from the package 20 is drawn through a number of openings 42 spaced outwardly from the vacuum tube 16 in a valve plate 44 located a spaced distance from the end of the lower section 36 of the nozzle 24. The opening 22 of the package is prevented from being drawn against the valve plate 44 and blocking openings 42 by means of a depending tube 46 secured beneath the valve plate 44 within the circle of openings 42 and having an axial opening 48 connected to a cross bore 50` located in close proximity to the valve plate 44. As the opening 22 of the package 20 is drawn into engagement with the sides of the tube 46 as seen in FIG. 3, air will still be drawn through the opening 48 and cross bore 50 in the tube 46 and then through opening 42.

Moisture is prevented from flowing back through the vacuum tube 16 and dripping from the nozzle 24 by locating the vacuum valve 28 within the nozzle 24. The valve 28 is formed by means of the valve plate 44 which is positioned to' operatively engage the lower end 30 of the vacuum tube 16, producing a metal to metal vacuum line seal. Moisture drawn into the vacuum tube 16 is collected in a conventional moisture trap in the vacuum line connected to the quick disconnect coupling 18. Any moisture which accumulates in the vacuum tube 16 will fiow by gravity toward the valve 28 but will be prevented from escaping from the vacuum tube 16 by the Seal formed by the engagement of the valve plate 44 with the lower end 30 of the vacuum tube 16. If the seal at the valve 28 should leak the moisture in the vacuum tube 16 cannot fiow out of the vacuum tube 16 due to the continuous vacuum present in the vacuum tube 16 when the apparatus is operating. The small amount of moisture which may accumulate on the tube 46 is generally insignificant.

The valve 28 is opened to evacuate the package 20 and Closed upon completion of the vacuuming operation by means of the handle 26 which is axially moveable on the vacuum tube 16. The handle 26 is provided with a piston head 52 which is sealed within a cylindrical opening 54 in a cylindrical housing 56 by means of O-ring seals 55. The housing 56 is secured to a reduced diameter section 58 on the lower end of the air lift cylinder 32 by means of the snap lock pin 64 and is sealed to the vacuum tube by O-ring seals 53. The handle 26 is biased by means of the spring 60 positioned between the piston head 52 and the end Wall 62 of opening 54 to hold the valve plate 44 in abutting engagement with the end 30 of the vacuum tube 16. When the handle 26 is pulled downward against the bias of spring 60, the vacuum valve 28 will open and on release of the handle the spring 60 will return the handle 26 to its original position, closing the valve 28.

The package is raised from the supporting surface by means of the air lift cylinder 32 mounted on the support shaft 14. The air lift cylinder 32 is connected to the vacuum tube 16 by means of a key 66 positioned in an annular groove 68 in a fiange 70 provided on vacuum tube 16 and a slot 72 in the lower section 58 of the cylinder. The fiange 70 is inserted into a recess 71 in the lower end 58 of the cylinder and the key 66 is placed in the slot 72 and groove 68. The cylinder 32 is coaxially mounted on the support shaft 14 and is retained thereon by means of the engagement of cap 74 in the open end of cylinder 32 with a piston head 76 secured to the lower end 78 of the shaft 14 by a set screw 80. The cap 74 is secured to the cylinder 32 by means of a threaded section 82 and is sealed to the shaft 14 by means of O-ring seals 84. The piston head 76 is sealed in the cylinder 32 by means of O-ring seals 86. The cylinder 32 is moved upwardly on the shaft 14 to raise the vacuum tube 16 and handle 26 by admitting air under pressure into the cylinder 32 in the space between the piston 76 and the cap 74 through a port 88 provided in the side wall of the cylinder 32.

In this last regard, the admission of high pressure air into the cylinder 32 is controlled by means of the vacuum air valve assembly 34 to raise the cylinder 32 on the shaft 14 when substantially all of the air has been evacuated from the package 20. The vacuum air valve assembly 34 includes a valve body 90 provided on the side of cylinder 32 and a Valve cap 92 secured to the valve body 90 by any appropriate means such as screws (not shown). The valve body 90 and valve cap 92 are each provided with a set of concentric grooves 94 and 96. When the cap 92 is assembled on the body 90, the grooves 94 and Cal 96 form annular air fiow paths which are sealed from each other and the atmosphere by means of a gasket 98 positioned between the cap 92 and valve body 90. The gasket is provided with a first orifice 100 to connect the grooves 94 and a second orifice 102 to connect the grooves 96 (FIG. 3). The orifices 100 and 102 will always be aligned with their respective grooves 94 and 96 regardless of the rotary position of the gasket on the valve body.

High pressure air which is used to operate the nir cylinder 32 is supplied from a source (not shown) to a liexible pressure line 104 connected to the mounting bracket 12 and to the valve body 90. The high pressure air is admitted to a chamber 106 in the valve body 90 through a port 108 and passes from the chamber 106 through an orifice 110 to a passage 112 in the valve cap which is connected to the annular grooves 96. The pressurized air passes through the orifice 102 in the gasket 98 and into the cylinder 32 through port 88.

The flow of pressurized air through the vacuum air valve assembly 34 is controlled by means of a vacuum actuated valve 114 which is connected to respond to the evacuation of air from the package 20 to allow high pressure air to enter the air cylinder 32 and to vent the air in the air cylinder 32 to the atmosphere when the package is removed. The valve 114 includes a valve stem 116 positioned in orifice 110 and having an O-ring seal 118 positioned to sealingly engage and close one end of orifice 110 when the stem 116 is in a closed position and an O-ring seal 119 to sealingly engage and close the other end of orifice 110 when the stem 116 is in the open position. The valve stem 116 is moved axially in the orifice 110 by means of a piston head 120 secured to the stem 116 and positioned in a cylindrical opening 122 provided in the valve cap 92. The piston head 120 is sealed by means of an O-ring 124 provided in a peripheral groove 126 in the piston head 120.

The piston head 120 is moved to open the valve 114 by drawing a vacuum in the space between the piston head 120 and the end wall 132 in cylinder 122. The space 130 is connected to the valve 28 through the space between the vacuum tube 16 and the handle 26, port 134 provided in the handle 26, space in the cylindrical housing 56, passage 136, fiexible plastic tube 138, passage 142 in the valve body 90 which is connected to annular grooves 94, orifice 100 in the gasket 98 and port 140 in the valve cap 92. When a vacuum is drawn in the space 130, the piston 120 will move to the left to the position shown in FIG. 3 to open valve 114 and allow air under pressure to enter the cylinder 32. The O-ring Seal 119 will close the orifice 110. The upward motion of the cylinder 32 on the shaft 14 will raise the package 20 until it is suspended beneath the nozzle 24.

The packaging apparatus 10 is automatically returned to its initial position when the handle 26 is released by the response of the valve assembly 34 to the closing of the vacuum valve 28. Atmospheric pressure is returned to the Space 130 in the valve cap 92 by the connection of the space between the handle 26 and tube 16 to the atmosphere through openings 42 in the nozzle 24. The force of the high pressure air in orifice 110 will act against the O-ring seal 119 and a small piston 150 sealed in opening 152 in the valve cap 92 by O-ring seals 156. The force of high pressure air in the orifice 110 will move the piston and the piston 120 to the right closing the valve 114. The motion of the piston 150 will open a port 158 in the valve cap 92 venting the high pressure air in the cylinder 32 to the atmosphere through passage 88, annular groove 96, orifice 102 in the gasket 98, passage 112 and out through port 158.

The nozzle 24, handle 26 and vacuum tube 16 must be cleaned periodically and if considered unsanitary, an entire packaging line may be required to be stopped until these parts are cleaned. The nozzle 24, handle 26 and vacuum tube 16 can be quickly disassembled from the cylinder 32 by means of the snap lock release assemblv 160 secured to the lower end of cylinder 32. This assembly includes the housing 56 secured to the cylinder 32 by means of the lsnap lock pin 64 which is inserted through an aperture 162 in the housing 56 and through a slot 164 in the side of the cylinder 32. The snap lock pin `64 is retained on the housing `56 by means of a resilient arcuate section 166 that has a curvature substantially similar to the curve of the outer surface of the housing 52 and a straight pin 168. The section has sucient flexibility Ito snap into a locked position on the side of the housing 56 and allows for easy release from the housing 56 by merely pulling the vpin 168 out of aperture 162. When the snap lock pin is pulled out of the orifice 162, the housing 56 will be free to move downward on the lower end 58 of the cylinder 32 exposing the locking key 66 positioned in the annular groove -68 in -the flange 70 of the vacuum tube 16. By removing the key 66, the Vacuum tube 16 will be free to fall out of the lower end 58 of the cylinder 32. The quick disconnect coupling 18 is removed from the upper end of the vacuum tube 16 to allow the handle 26, nozzle 24 and vacuum tube 16 to be removed for cleaning. Reassembly of this equipment on the cylinder 32 can be accomplished by merely reversing the disassmbly procedure. It should |be apparent that the disassembly and assembly of the handle, nozzle and vacuum tube takes only a minute or two.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube,

eans for forming a valve at the other end of said vacuum tube, said valve forming means comprising a nozzle which includes a valve plate having a number of openings and a tubular section depending from said valve plate and having an axial opening and a cross bore intersecting said axial opening and located in close proximity to said valve plate,

means for moving said vacuum tube relative to said supporting means and means for actuating said moving means in response to the removal of substantially all of the air from the package.

2. A package vacuuming and lifting apparatus according to claim 1 including means releasably connecting said vacuum tube and Valve means to said moving means.

3. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube,

means for forming a valve at the other end of said vacuum tube,

means for moving said vacuum tube relative to said supporting means,

means for actuating said moving means in response to the removal of substantially all of the air from the package; and

means for releasably connecting said vacuum -tube and valve means to said moving means, said connecting means including a housing mounted on said moving means and a snap lock pin to secure said housing to said moving means.

4. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube,

means for forming a valve at the other end of said vacuum tube,

means for moving said vacuum tube relative to said supporting means,

means for actuating said moving means in response to the removal of substantially all of the air from the package, and

means releasably connecting said vacuum tube and valve means to said Imoving means, said connecting means including a removable key connecting said vacuum tube to said moving means.

5. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

-means for supporting said vacuum tube, said supporting means including a mounting bracket and a hollow support shaft, said vacuum tube being mounted for axial Imovement within said shaft,

means for forming a valve at the other end of the vacuum tube,

means for moving said vacuum tube relative to said supporting means, said valve means being mounted on said moving means for movement into engagement with said vacuum tube, and

means for actuating said moving means in response to the removal of substantially all of the air from the package.

6. A package vacuuming and lifting apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said moving means includes an air lift cylinder supported on said support shaft.

7. A package vacuuming and lifting apparatus according to claim 5 including means to releasably connect said vacuum tube and said valve means to said cylinder.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said valve means includes a nozzle and said releasable means ncludes a spring to bias said nozzle into engagement with said vacuum tube.

9. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted into the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube,

means for forming a valve at the other end of said vacuum tube,

means for moving said vacuum tube relative to said supporting means,

and means for actuating said moving means in response to the removal of substantially all of the air from the package, said actuating means including a vacuum air responsive valve assembly having a high pressure air passage connected to said moving means and to a source of high pressure air,

a vacuum air passage connected to said valve means and means for controlling the flow of air through said high pressure air passage in response to the presence of a vacuum in said vacuum air passage.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said control means includes a stem mounted for axial movement in said air passage and having an O-ring seal to close said high pressure air passage and a piston on said stern operatively positioned to respond to the presence of a vacuum in said vacuum air passage.

11. An apparatus for vacuuming and lifting a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising a mounting bracket,

a vertically disposed tubular shaft supported by said mounting bracket,

a vacuum tube mounted for axial movement in said shaft,

a nozzle moveable into engagement with said vacuum tube to form a valve and adapted to be inserted in the opening in the package,

an air lift cylinder mounted on said shaft,

means for releasably connecting said nozzle and vacuum tube to said air lift cylinder, and

means responsive to the presence of a vacuum in said package for pressurizing said air cylinder to move said vacuum tube and nozzle relative to said shaft.

12. An apparatus according to lclaim 11 wherein said responsive means includes a valve body having a pair of concentric grooves,

a valve cap mounted on said valve body and having a pair of concentric grooves corresponding to said grooves in said valve body, and

means for sealing said cap to said valve body and for connecting the corresponding grooves in said cap with said grooves in said valve body.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein one of said grooves is connected to said air lift cylinder and to a source of high pressure air and the other of said grooves is connected to the vacuum tube and including means to control the flow of high pressure air to said cylinder in response to the presence of a vacuum in said other groove.

14. An apparatus for vacuuming a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising a bracket,

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube on said bracket, and

means mounted on said supporting means forming a valve at said other end of said vacuum tube, said valve means including a nozzle having a valve plate positioned to sealingly engage said other end of said vacuum tube and having a plurality of holes around the outer periphery of said plate and a tubular section depending from said valve plate and having an axial opening and a cross bore intersecting said opening.

15. An apparatus for vacuuming a package having an opening, said apparatus comprising a bracket,

a vacuum tube having one end operatively connected to a vacuum source and the other end adapted to be inserted in the opening of the package,

means for supporting said tube on said bracket and including a removable key to secure said vacuum tube to said supporting means and a snap lock pin to secure said valve means to said supporting means, and

means mounted on said supporting means for forming a valve at said other end of said vacuum tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,335,738 11/1943 Casey 53-112 3,094,825 6/1963 Bracey et al. 53--112 3,175,590 3/1965 Belknap 53-79 X 3,312,256 4/1967 Reisinger 53-112 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner 

